Busy as a Hummingbird
by sparklycider
Summary: Tooth has been busier than usual lately and her fellow guardians don't see her for days at a time. She has even turned down North's party in favor of work. Curious to know why she has gone back in the field (and maybe force her to take a nap) Jack goes and seeks her out. The two end up sitting and talking about Tooth's past and get closer to each other. Oneshot ToothxJack


God I saw this movie and it was just so freaking adorable I had to write this. The mass amount of Tooth and Jack fanart I've seen just made me... gah. So here you go! Rainbow snowcone, frostbite, fairyfrost or whatever you want to call it. There just isn't enough JackxTooth here. ;_;

* * *

Jack POV

"Welcome Jack! Glad you made it!" North said, clapping Jack in the back with a large hand. It was like being hit with a club.

"Yeah well I couldn't miss a Christmas party in the North Pole," Jack said running his fingers through his frosty hair, a frown on his face. "Not that I could miss it considering you had your yetis "escort" me. Again." He had been in the process of whipping up a good, day-after-Christmas blizzard only to be shoved into a sack (again) and thrown through a magical portal and right into North's party.

The pointy-toothed elves ran around, carrying plates of cookies, fruitcake, and went about their usual antics. The yetis even seemed to be enjoying themselves. For once they weren't working and making toys but instead stood around, talking in that guttural language that bore some resemblance to English. There were no toys on the worktables and they were instead stacked with wrapped presents and food. Jack did have to admit that the party looked like fun. Tinsel and wreathes hung from every corner of the workshop, and somehow there was a constant shower of multicolored confetti raining from the ceiling. _'Very festive,'_ Jack thought appreciatively, twirling his staff.

North grinned and shrugged. "Eh, old habits die hard yes? Oh good it looks like Bunny is here too!"

Jack turned to see a large, sack come sailing from a snowy portal and onto the floor, sending a few elves scrambling and one got flattened. The bag kicked and flailed about. Jack smiled and laughed, flashing a thumbs up to North.

"Darn it North what do ya think yer up to?" Bunnymund raged, as he kicked his way out of the sack, tearing it open, revealing a very angry 6"1 furry rabbit.

"Its your invite to the party of course!" North laughed.

"By throwing me in a bloody sack?"

"It works well yes?"

Bunny was about to retort something back, when he caught sight of Jack, and narrowed his eyes at the boy and pointed the boomerang at him. "I suppose you had something to do with this?"

"Hey don't look at me!" Jack said with a mischievous grin, holding his hands up in mock defeat. "I got the same invite you did."

"Bunny, you know I find a way to get you come to this party every year?"

"Every year?" Jack asked, leaning on his staff.

"Yeah, North here always throws an after Christmas party."

"And every year you try to avoid it!"

"Only because you avoid my after Easter party!... God it's bloody cold up here." He snatched a cup of hot cocoa off a table. "All right so I'm here and Jack is here." He sipped at the cocoa. "Where is Sandy and Tooth?"

"Sandy is here!" North laughed. "He is playing Pictionary with the yetis I think."

"And Tooth?" Jack asked, stealthily freezing Bunny's hot cocoa solid.

"Well that's just great," Bunny said, glaring at Jack and then throwing the frozen mug across the room where it landed with a crash. "No I met Tooth a while ago. She said she couldn't make it."

Jack blinked in surprise. Tooth had been rather busy lately, rarely showing up for any guardian's get-togethers, always offering a sincere and hasty apology, but she had always shown up for the parties the others threw. So what was she doing now that she couldn't come?

"Hmmm maybe I should send the yetis over to the tooth palace…" North muttered.

"Don't," Jack said, unable to picture someone like Tooth forcibly shoved into a sack. It just wasn't right.

"She won't be there anyway," Bunny said and then smiled. "She has been back out in the field."

"Really?" North exclaimed. "Well how about that? After 400 years she is back in the field. Did she say why?"

"Actually she said that Jack inspired her."

"Me?" Jack said, shocked. He recalled Tooth talking about how she missed being out in the field but other than that he couldn't recall if he said anything truly inspiring.

"No matter!" North said. "We save cocoa and fruitcake for her! Now we play Pictionary!"

* * *

Tooth POV

Tooth carefully pulled a single pearly tooth out from under the pillow and dropped it into a small brown bag at her waist. She smiled and flipped a silver dollar between her fingers before placing it under the little girl's pillow. She sighed. She really did miss doing this, but she forgot how tiring it could be. It was always nighttime somewhere on the globe and for the past four (maybe five) days had run together into one long single day. She didn't think she had even seen the sun yet. Nothing but black sky, stars and the moon.

She yawned, as if her body was trying to make a point, and sat on a pink fluffy chair next to a large unicorn. Her eyes drooped slightly and she fought to keep them open. She should probably have gotten some sleep two days ago but once she started she found she couldn't stop. The joy and memories of being out in the field filled her with nostalgia and happiness that she couldn't describe. It was something that, even though her fairies were extensions of herself, she could experience only if she was there. She really ought to thank Jack for motivating her to go back out and-

"Hey Tooth."

Tooth almost leapt right out of her feathers as she flailed about at the sudden appearance of Jack's pale face and deep blue eyes right in her face. Her fluttering wings beat in surprise and somehow the alarm clock on the girl's table fell off and clanged to the floor.

"Oh no," Tooth said. The little girl snapped awake in surprise as both Tooth and Jack froze. The little girl gaped at the two, mouth hanging open.

"Oops," Jack said, offering an apologetic shrug at Tooth.

"Oh dear," she said, frantically fishing around in a second bag at her waist. Golden sparkling sand came up in her hand and she let the dust fly into the face of the girl. Instantly the girl collapsed back in bed, out like a light.

"Did I scare you?" Jack grinned, crouching on the dresser.

"Yes!" Tooth replied, gold glittery hands on her hips as she hovered above him. "And it wasn't funny!"

"You should have seen your feathers. You looked like a spooked cat."

"Don't make me throw dream sand at you!"

"Sandy gave it to you?"

"Oh, yeah just in case." She pulled the bag closed. "If you're not the size of a hummingbird its harder to collect teeth from under pillows without waking anyone up."

Jack cocked his head to the side, suddenly studying her intently. Tooth had always been fascinated by his teeth but she found herself also being drawn into the deep blue eyes that stared so keenly at her. Her heart began to flutter as fast as her wings and she forced a blush down.

"W-what?" She asked. He leapt off the dresser and leaned close towards her face. Her wings beat frantically and she wondered if she had something on her face.

"You look tired," Jack said in concern, a chilly hand coming out and brushing her face. Despite the chill of his fingers she felt like she was going to melt. She couldn't deny that she was smitten with the pale and handsome boy (and his teeth) and she was tempted to touch his pale face as well but instead shook her head.

"I'm fine," she insisted. "Just been working for a while." She offered a sleepy smile. Jack frowned, clearly not happy with that response. "Let's go outside." Tooth said, pointing up. "I don't want to wake her again."

The two of them scrambled out the window, quietly latching it shut behind them before settling on the roof. The night was pleasantly cool; a breeze ruffled her feathers and the wind blew across her face.

"Well I don't want to sound rude but what are you doing here?" Tooth asked, turning to look at Jack.

Jack sat, his staff laid across his legs and his head lolling back, staring at the moon. "You missed North's party. There was a really loud game of Pictionary going on." Tooth laughed. "And I heard you were back in the field and you've been as busy as a bumblebee er… hummingbird. I guess I wanted to know why?"

"You inspired me, silly," Tooth giggled.

"Yeah, uh what did I say to inspire you exactly? You know refresh my memory."

"Well," Tooth said, putting a finger to her chin. "That time in Jamie's room I realized how much I missed doing well my job! And what you said that time in the warren really got to me. About do we even know how to deal with kids?"

"You mean after you scared off Sophie with the "blood and gum" thing?" Jack laughed, flashing that mischievous grin and pearly teeth that he wore so well.

"I still don't see anything wrong with that…" Tooth muttered.

"What made you stop doing what you love?" Jack asked.

"… I don't know." Tooth squirmed; frustrated she didn't have a decent answer to that. Did she have a purpose for stopping four hundred years ago? She couldn't remember.

"Well do you remember why you started collecting teeth?"

"Oh yes. I don't think I could ever forget that."

Jack didn't say anything, just sat and scratched his head as if he were thinking of something.

"Can I ask how?"

"How what?"

"How you started collecting teeth. I mean… how did you become the Guardian of memories?"

"It's a long story," Tooth said sadly, distant and painful memories creeping into her thoughts. Things she hadn't actually thought about in a long time but were still as fresh and clear as the day they happened. Somehow, time had made them even clearer.

"Please?" Jack pleaded. "I want to hear it. Bunny and North wouldn't tell me their story either! I have time."

"We have our reasons for not saying. Don't worry Jack they'll tell you when they're ready, but I don't have time. I'm on a really tight schedule right now…" She had barely stood when Jack grabbed hold of her hand; grip tight, gentle and icy cold.

"Leave it to Baby Tooth and the others," Jack said. "I really want to hear your story. Please Tooth." His deep blue eyes stared right through her and she found herself blushing and her heart twittering again. It couldn't hurt to tell Jack. After all it was Jack.

"Ok," she sighed with a smile, settling back down beside him. She pulled her legs up to her chest and rested her chin on her knees. Jack sat straight up, watching her expectantly like a little boy waiting for story time. It was kind of cute.

"Lets see… Well you know I was collecting teeth long before I became a guardian."

"Really?"

"Mm-hm. And a very very long time ago… I was human." Even to her own ears it sounded strange to say it and she saw Jack's eyes widen in surprise. I guess he didn't expect that the other guardians could have been human before. "I lived in a village with my mother and father. It was just us and we weren't rich but we were happy. I got along with the other children in the village and lived about as normally as any little girl.

Until my last baby tooth fell out. It was strange. I grew wings and feathers. Just like that. My parents explained that my mother was "not from around here" as they put it. I scared the neighbors. The villagers were terrified of me. Only my parents and the children still liked and played with me." Tooth grimaced and pulled her legs tighter to her. The night hadn't gotten any cooler but somehow the chill of her memories made it feel that way.

Jack made a look of concern. "Tooth you don't have to-"

She shook her head, indicating that she had to. "I won't give you the details but I will say that my parents were taken from me by the hunter. But before my parents died gave me a box filled with all my baby teeth. The told me that if I ever felt lonely or sad to put it under my pillow so that I can remember happier memories."

"Do you still have those teeth?" Jack asked.

"Yes. Hidden far away where not even Pitch could get them."

"Do you… still use it?"

"What oh do you mean do I look-… no. I used to a long time ago but not so much anymore. After joining the guardians I wasn't so sad and lonely and I realized that I had to keep moving on. So I did.

After my parents died I lived in the forest nearby the village. Despite everything the children of the village still liked me and came to see me and even tried to protect me from their parents. However, as they aged I realized that I did not. They were losing some of the innocence of their childhood as they grew up. So, I started collecting their teeth so I could return those innocent memories when they needed it the most. So they wouldn't forget what was important."

"And then you became a guardian?"

"The Man in the Moon thought it was a good idea and I got along well with Sandy who was already one so yes and I don't regret my choice in the slightest." She smiled, thinking of all her adventures with the others.

"You were much more accepting than I was," Jack grumbled, glancing at the moon.

"Maybe not having memories is more painful than having them," Tooth suggested, before a yawn overtook her.

Jack frowned, and his face was curiously conflicted, like he was arguing with himself. "I'll be right back!" He said suddenly, and leapt off the roof before Tooth could blink.

"Jack?!" Tooth called, peering over the edge of the gutter, where she saw him riffling around in a bush below.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Just… ow! Hold on." Jack said, yanking something out of the bush. He sprang right back on the roof and plopped down next to her Tooth, legs dangling over the edge.

To her surprise he presented her a red colored rose with an abused stem. The normally vibrant red hue of roses was pale and she noticed that the flower crackled with frost, its delicate beauty frozen.

"The frost can't be helped," Jack said, looking embarrassed, as he offered the rose. "But it is still pretty and colorful like you." His pale cheeks turned a fierce blue. Was he blushing?

"T-thank you," Tooth stuttered, flustered at his compliment and face turning pink, a stark contrast to the blue on his face. She carefully took the rose by the stem; afraid it would shatter and fall apart. She lifted the flower to her nose and blinked in surprise when the petals that touched her nose were cold. "It's very sweet Jack," Tooth said, as her face broke out in an overjoyed and blushing face.

"Well its like a thank you I guess," Jack said, putting his hands in the pockets of his hoodie. "You know just sort of told me something really personal and sad. I never would have guessed something like that happened to you. But…" He gave her a smile, that one always made her want to poke around in his mouth and admire his snowy white teeth. "It makes me kinda happy you told me; that you shared that with me."

Tooth nodded and stroked the frozen petals of the rose, admiring it. She was sad that the ice would eventually melt. Maybe she could stick it in the freezer… With sudden abruptness a yawn over took her, surprising herself.

"You've been working too hard," Jack said matter-of-factly, looking at her as if he was trying to assess how long she had gone without sleep.

"I'm always working hard Jack. I've been having fun so don't go telling me to stop, Guardian of Fun." Despite herself, a yawn sneaked out from her again and her eyes watered up from trying to resist it. She rubbed at her eyes with a hand.

Surprisingly Jack didn't retort or argue anything back, just continued staring at the night sky, occasionally glancing back at her with a big smile on his face. She gave another massive yawn and rubbed the tears out of her eyes in annoyance. Somehow she was even more tired as if, four nights of no sleep had been dammed up by sheer perseverance and now it was lazily flooding around her, submerging her like warm water. Her eyelids drooped and she wondered why the sleep had suddenly caught up to her.

* * *

Jack POV

Jack had a huge smile that restrained the chuckles that he tried to keep quiet. It was rather funny and cute to watch her fight sleep with such determination. Occasionally she would start to drift forward, looking like she was going to topple right off the roof, and immediately sit up before starting to wilt into sleep again. He supposed that Tooth didn't notice the sand that clung to her hands that now rimmed her purple eyes and flecked her long fluttery lashes with golden sand.

Tooth tottered in her seat and finally gave in to sleep as she suddenly lurched forward off the roof, wings closed against her body and eyes shut. Quick as a flash Jack nimbly leapt up and threw an arm around her waist and pulled her sleeping form close to his chilled body. Jack was surprised at the sudden feeling of warmth against him and the downy feathers that he felt on his hands.

The dozing fairy flinched at the feeling of cold and tried squirm away but Jack held her tight. Then to Jack's surprise her head ended up on his shoulder, her face nestled in his neck, breathing softly. He felt a cold blue blush creep onto his face, shivers going up his back the pleasant warmth that Tooth seemed to radiate.

For a long moment he simply stood there, unsure of what to do, watching her sleep and occasionally mumble something about flossing. Jack gave another chuckle and slowly lifted her up in his arms, cradling and carefully minded her wings. She barely even stirred this time. Very rarely, except for the time Sandy accidentally hit her with the dream sand, had Jack ever seen her relaxed and calm, which in short meant she was asleep. With her darting about and so full of energy he sometimes thought she ran on cold fusion, or some sort of impossible fuel, and didn't need sleep.

"I guess even legends can get tired…" Jack murmured, with a gentle smile as he regarded Tooth's sleeping face, and noticed that in her sleep she clutched the rime covered rose close to her heart. Jack felt his heart flutter slightly, his face twisted up in shy embarrassment. He was glad the others weren't around or else they would probably be teasing him, particularly Bunny.

"God that would be embarrassing," he muttered, as he leapt off the roof with Tooth in tow and let the wind carry him straight up into the sky, and made his way to the tooth palace.

As he sailed through the air he happened to miss the mumblings of the tooth fairy in his arms.

"Jack…" She clutched at the frozen rose in her hands and smiled dreaming about the white haired hellion.

* * *

I-I didn't know how to end it. *brick'd* Finally got this out here! This was demanding my attention and it wouldn't let me do my school work until I finished! So uh yeah hope you liked it ._.


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